The Chicago Bears are reopening their search for a location for their new stadium, including Northwest Indiana.

Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren made the announcement in an open letter he sent out Wednesday. Warren wrote that the Bears will expand their search, which will still include Arlington Heights, “throughout the wider Chicagoland region, including Northwest Indiana.”

“This is not about leverage,” Warren wrote. “We spent years trying to build a new home in Cook County. We invested significant time and resources evaluating multiple sites and rationally decided on Arlington Heights. Our fans deserve a world-class stadium. Our players and coaches deserve a venue that matches the championship standard they strive for every day. With that in mind, our organization must keep every credible pathway open to deliver that future.”

The news comes after the Bears failed to break ground on a new stadium in Arlington Heights this year.

The failure came after the Bears couldn’t secure a bill from the Illinois General Assembly this year that would’ve allowed them to negotiate a discounted property tax rate in Arlington Heights. Warren wrote in the letter that state leadership also told Warren that the Bears’ project would not be a priority for them in 2026.

In the letter, Warren also said that the organization was prepared to put $2 billion into the stadium project. The Bears, instead, wanted public funding for local infrastructure around the project.

“We asked only for a commitment to essential local infrastructure [roads, utilities, and site improvements] which is more than typical for projects of this size,” Warren said. “Additionally, we sought reasonable property tax certainty to secure financing. We listened to state leadership and relied on their direction and guidance, yet our efforts have been met with no legislative partnership.”

A move to Indiana would be the latest turn in a journey that’s had plenty. It became more feasible after Indiana lawmakers created the Northwest Indiana Professional Sports Development Commission this year to attract professional sports teams to the area, including the Bears.

This wouldn’t be the first time the Bears threatened to move to Indiana, either. The Bears explored moving to a complex near the Gary, Indiana, airport in 1995. Ultimately, the Bears stayed in Chicago and renovated Soldier Field to its current form.

The Bears’ search has had twists and turns since the team submitted a bid to buy Arlington Park in June 2021. Under the then-team president Ted Phillips, the Bears unveiled plans for a $5 billion stadium and mixed-use development for the site in September 2022 and closed on its sale in February 2023 for $197.2 million.

But a property tax dispute with Arlington Heights-based schools forced the Bears to look elsewhere, leading other Chicago suburbs to throw their hat into the ring.

Under Warren’s leadership, the Bears shifted their focus to the Museum Campus just south of Soldier Field. The team and Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson revealed a plan for a $3.2 billion stadium in April.

After the Bears received strong pushback from public funding to build a new stadium in Chicago, the Bears shifted focus back to Arlington Heights this year. Warren said the Bears’ sole focus would be Arlington Heights in August.

Where the latest turn in this journey will go is hard to predict. They are set to host longtime rival, the Green Bay Packers, at Soldier Field for a primetime game at Soldier Field.

“As we move forward, our goal is clear: build a world-class football team that has a world-class stadium worthy of our world-class fans,” Warren wrote. “A stadium that reflects the future we are building together.”